Public safety incident at USC campus has busy Columbia roads closed, police say
A public safety incident happened Wednesday on the Columbia campus of the University of South Carolina. A fugitive was apprehended inside a campus building after a short foot chase, the university said.
A joint operation involving the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and Richland County Sheriff’s Department fugitive teams pursued a murder suspect into the city, ending in a vehicle stop at the intersection of Assembly and Blossom streets, the Columbia Police Department said.
The wanted person then ran away but was taken into custody in the ball fields behind the Strom Thurmond Wellness & Fitness Center on the USC campus, according to police. A university spokesman said the chase ended inside the fitness center.
“He was apprehended following a short foot pursuit that concluded inside of the building. No injuries have been reported and campus is safe,“ USC spokesman Jeff Stensland said in a message to The State.
Wesley Black, a USC student at the fitness center said that they were told to “get down” in the Strom gym.
“There was an armed suspect who ran through campus and he ran inside Strom with a gun. It’s all over the USC story…and nobody got a Carolina alert,” said Duncan Greer, a USC student. Stensland said a Carolina alert was issued at 1:38 p.m. to let the community know of the police presence on campus.
The suspect was wanted by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office and was assisted by SLED, the Richland County sheriff and university police.
USC Police said there’s no eminent danger to the community, but those busy roads in downtown Columbia are partially blocked.
“Avoid the area and obey officials,” police said in the alert.
Any drivers unable to avoid the closed roads should expect delays as law enforcement officers are managing the traffic.
“Please expect delays as authorities await SLED crime scene processing and vehicle removal,” Columbia police said.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 2:19 PM.
